29 Jul 2011

It’s great to see that there are a lot of new hardcore bands who keep popping up and keeping the hardcore scene going. I recently had Matt Dillon send me the debut EP of his new band called Don’t Give a Fuck titled A Girl Burning and Dying. I was quite hesitant at first about listening to this band as there are only two members. Sometimes the quality and style of two member bands can be a little dodgy but Don’t Give a Fuck have pulled this off very well. Hailing from New York the band consists of James Adam Gaskill who plays guitar and does half of the vocals, and Matt Dillon who also does vocals and plays drums. They play a nice mix of emotional and melodic style hardcore and the two different vocal sounds work great together. As can be said for a lot of music, this probably won’t be for everyone, but I really enjoyed the record.

Don’t Give a Fuck know how to combine the mix of melodic instrumental parts with faster paced drum beats, which then lead into a medley of various riffs and chaos. Some of the vocals included sound a little more screamer than what would be expected of a normal melodic band, which is what I liked. The lyrics (of what I can make out) are very emotive and contain some very underlining messages throughout each song. The different time sequences in the guitar riffs and drum beats in all 5 songs created a frantic sound and feel to the record, which made a positive impact on me. The songs The Disease That is You, Farewell Mistake and Ashes Forever have a great mix of some harsh throaty screams with a perfect mix of cleaner screams. Having two vocalists in a band can be temperamental at times but in this situation it suits the music perfectly. The vocals are very strong and almost sound as they echo on the recording. The guitar work sounds very clean however on the first couple of songs the quality of the sound recording decreases slightly in areas but of course, that cannot be helped.

Don’t Give a Fuck appear to be doing quite well for themselves and have already shared the stage with bands such as Outbreak and Hour of the Wolf. They also have some upcoming shows so go see them if you can. This band has a lot of potential and I’m looking forward to hearing more from them in the future. With a sound that goes perfectly with their name, they certainly are a band not to be missed. Check out their material here.

TRC are having an album launch party tonight at the 100 Club on Oxford Street, London for their release Bright Lights. If your into this sort of stuff then get down and make sure you catch the early start from first band Prowler.

28 Jul 2011

Here is an interesting two part video of Why Style Matters in skateboarding. I think this is an essential video to view as it highlights different factors of past styles that influenced pro skateboarders. It also covers various points about techniques and body movements which makes every single skateboarder unique. This is very inspirational video and if you skate or are into skating then I really recommend that you watch this.

This is just a short clip from Mark Appleyard at the Berrics busting out some tricks. Everything is landed perfectly as usual and the last trick (I think it's a 360 inward heelflip) is utterly insane. Check it out!

12 Jul 2011

There are a vast amount of hardcore bands that are floating around at the moment portraying a ‘boys club’ attitude. I’m not really into all these aspects of hardcore instead enjoy music that delivers positive messages and stands for something worth promoting. One band that I have a lot of respect and time for is Kingdom who definitely fights for what they believe in. I feel this band is generally underrated here in the United Kingdom which is a shame as they are such a quality band. Hailing from Philadelphia USA Kingdom is a Vegan Straight Edge hardcore band who plays a variety of heavy styled hardcore with some bold and important messages. Threads is their new mind-blowing 4 track EP that is sticking to the attitude that has previously been explored in the Self Titled, 9 Lives and The Rage That Guides however incorporates new controversial concepts including the impact of rape and issues regarding the law.

The album kicks off with a song called Harbringer that starts the EP off with a nice slow heavy feel to it and then wastes no time picking up the pace into a steady moshing riff with some beefy guitar work. Although bands always have the well known mosh parts that people are expecting, Kingdom manage to fit them in perfectly with their song structures and at the best times which makes the songs more energetic and entertaining. This first song is a sinister story relating to the controversial topic of rape and bringing justice to people who carry this act out. This song is very strong and compelling and is a theme that needs to be brought to people’s attention.

Following on from this is the song Regenerate which kicks in straight away with another intense flurry of instrumental rage. This song is very fast paced and contains some rapid tempo drum beats and steady guitar riffs mixed in with some slower heavy parts which work perfectly together. This song covers animal exploitation and the personal choice to be against these acts which is also covered in the previous releases. Wax and Wayne contains some raw powered vocals which you can really sense the amount of emotion and energy put into this. Although this song is short it is memorable and towards the middle of the track it has a catchy old school feel to it, giving it a nice classic touch. Slight of Badge is the last song on the EP combining yet even more fresh heavy hardcore. This is the song about the misuse of power in the law and takes in the classic All Cops Are Bastards attitude which is fantastic. I wish this EP contained more than 4 songs!

Kingdom has been one of my favourite bands for ages now and I think they cover a vast amount of important positive choices and lifestyle choices which I participate in so I can really relate to this band. They have a unique sound and I think they deserve as much support as possible. As with their other releases Threads is definitely up there with the best. Pick up their record here, it comes with some pretty rad artwork and because I pre-ordered it I got an awesome tee and limited edition vinyl as shown below.

9 Jul 2011

Summer is finally here and what could be better than to be going to Poison Planet in East London tonight. Make sure you get down early to check out Stab and Wardogs. You'd be foolish not to see this and it's only a fiver!

8 Jul 2011

War Hungry have been one of my favourite bands for ages now and I was so excited to see them releasing a full length. I have to admit though you have to have an acquired taste for this band as they do have an original sound and the lyrics take a while to get used to. Combining some pretty heavy hardcore mixed with a sludgy metal sound with plenty of groove. As expected their self titled full length contains all of these elements which I can say they pull off perfectly. I think vocally this could possibly be their best release but there are a few elements that seem to have changed but only slightly and for the best!

This 8 track monster of an album kicks off instantly with the track The Bottom which to me has a very old school metallic sound to it. The guitar riffs execute a very heavy metal testosterone fuelled which breaks into a chugging, grooving tune which will make you bang your head. War Hungry have kept the same sort of song structures which complements their style of music and I don’t think they should do it any other way. Broken on the Wheel starts immediately after the first track has finished. There are not really any pauses between songs so boredom is off the list. I love the classic late 80’s early 90’s metal sound to the guitars and drums mixed with the slow paced dragged out vocals. This band has a bit of everything for everyone. You have the varied tempos of each song rapidly changing from the slower sludgy riffs to the fast paced thrashing metallic sequences, some intense technical solos which bust out of nowhere, memorable basslines and addictive grooving riffs which will leave you moshing all day long.

I’m quite fussy with the metallic edge style of hardcore but War Hungry are an exception. Their music is interesting and they have such a diverse sound that almost sections off from the usual hardcore sound. Songs Empire of Idols, Sleeping Dogs Lie, Been Without Being and Pulse all contain memorable rhythms and they mix up the instrumental patterns frequently which is entertaining. There is a lot of chugging grooves in this album but they know how to integrate it well into their timing sequences so fits nicely in among the vocals that almost sound as if they are echoing on each song.

As an overview, this full length completely sums up War Hungry as one of the most solid bands from the USA. They have an original sound that no band can compete with, which breaks the normal boundaries hardcore song writing. I hope you all enjoy listening to this record as much as I do!

6 Jul 2011

If you are into Harm’s Way, then you know exactly what to expect from their music. Isolation is no different; and contains 8 tracks of pure crushing hardcore. There is a slight change of style compared to the previous releases ‘Imprisoned,’ ‘No God’s No Masters’ and ‘Reality Approaches.’ They have dropped the early demo sounding powerviolence and developed a much heavier, chugging sound. For some of you this means a positive thing as this record has the potential to change your views on this band but for those who were more into their earlier powerviolence sound it varies from their previous efforts. I think Harm’s Way have come very far and have made a lot of progression in their song writing. Despite changing to a more conventional style of hardcore that suits the modern audiences, this is a captivating record that combines some heavy hardcore elements to pull off a great sounding record.

The vocals on this record play a massive part in creating this overpowering music. ‘Judge Hammers’ as he is known, pulls out all the stops with some slow raw growling mixing it up with some faster paced vocals. Although the vocal style to ‘Isolation’ is not the most original sound I just can’t be negative about it. You can sense the huge amount of anger and hatred which gives the record a classic negative feel to it. Although I don’t really agree to some of their lyrics and attitude I found this record very catchy.

Songs such as Scrambled, Isolation and New Beginning’s contain some varied chugging guitar riffs which I can already see people moshing around to and the song structures would not be complete without the pummelling drum patterns and the final track Pretender shows some blast-beats in a frenzy of power. Everything about this album including song structures, timing, instruments patterns and vocals sound tight which shows this band can work well together. There is a variety of musical elements and Harm’s Way have managed to incorporate both a slow paced darker, heavy hardcore style with brisk and rapid instrumental parts which works well together.

I think ‘Isolation’ is going to be a big release for Harm’s Way and to be honest they are a very hard working band which have progressed greatly over the last few years. Buy it here and help support this band. Also the artwork is pretty sweet too!

4 Jul 2011

If your around Norwich this evening then make sure you get yourself down to Bedford's Crypt for this corker of a show headlined by Dangers. Unfortunately I can't make it down tonight from London but make sure you get there early to support Self Loathing and Jackals. Have fun!